So we’re only halfway through 2019 and already, there are some fresh new content marketing stats. Marketers who prioritize blogging efforts are reportedly 13x more likely to experience positive ROI. Meanwhile, listicles reign supreme as “the most popular blog post format” for business blogs. And 36% of online users have backed this up, stating they prefer “list-based headlines” over other formats.

Content reigns supreme in the digital landscape, and content marketing still remains one of the best ways to generate organic, highly convertible leads.

As you’re probably aware of by now, lead generation isn’t easy. You can’t just churn out two or three pieces of content a day and hope that your network will handle the distribution. Everyone’s putting out content nowadays. You’ll need to do a little extra to stand out.

It’s not about whether you want people to share your posts—it’s about whether they want to.

Content marketing is only successful if your content is shareable.

The definition of ‘shareable’ in this context means a couple different things: attention-grabbing, relevant, amusing, unique, never-before-seen … and so on. If you can create valuable content that wows people, you can undoubtedly generate more traffic, effectively improving your bottom line.

1. Tell a Story

Everybody loves a good story, and nobody is “too old” for a real page-turner.

(But with today’s format, we guess it would be a story that stops you from scrolling. A scroll-stopper…?)

Storytelling has always been an effective way of communicating ideas and creating relatable content. It establishes an event or circumstance that your audience can see themselves in, thus making it highly relevant to them.

Content that is relevant and relatable is always shareable.

So create content that has a clear beginning, middle, and end. Create content that comes off not as an advertisement, but as an honest, genuine story that brings your audience from point A to point B in a way they resonate with.

2. Read Your Comments

Comments are literally audience feedback. And as a marketer, you know how valuable feedback is.

If your community is leaving comments on your blog posts or social media posts, then start reading them! Doesn’t matter how short or how detailed. Even a simple, “Great read!” or “Nice work!” is enough to let you know which topics people enjoy reading about and which ones they can’t be bothered with.

Furthermore, the more detailed comments—and even the criticisms!—can provide you with new insight or fresh perspectives. For instance, someone might suggest covering your story from a different angle. Or biting commentary from one particularly prickly fan may be a hint that you worded your stance too strongly.

3. Keep in Touch With Trends

Trending topics may not be evergreen, but they’re good for creating short-term discussions. Places like news websites, news feeds, and the “trending” lists on social media platforms often do a good job of capturing what people are talking about—both online and offline.

And if these “trending topics” are somehow related to your industry, then you’d better jump on them fast.

As we mentioned earlier, relevant content is shareable content. People hate being seen as “old fashioned” or “behind the times.” In an era where everything is constantly updated, staying up-to-date is crucial if you want to remain relevant. And rest assured, your audience wants to remain relevant.

There is no set formula to creating shareable content. It really depends on a number of factors that we often can’t control. Sometimes, the most unexpected pieces are the ones that go viral. Other times, even the most outrageous posts can be skipped over. A good rule of thumb is to always be relevant and relatable. As long as your content is either of the two, there’s a high chance that people will stop and give it a read.